Melissa
Our 5 month baby was recently admitted in hospital for croup/Bronchiolitis. In hospital the cots were designed to be slightly on an angle to assist with breathing. I was wondering if the Jolly Jumper Crib Wedge was safe to use?
Red Nose Education
Sometimes babies are placed in different positions for sleep when in hospital - but remember that these babies are under constant observation, often with 24 hour medical monitoring.
Red Nose recommends that all well & healthy babies at home are placed for sleep on their back on a firm well-fitting & flat surface.
Surfaces that are elevated, may increase the risk of baby slipping down under bedding, covering head & face or being in the “chin on chest” position that may cause breathing difficulties.
Red Nose does not recommend the use of wedges, pillows or cot tilting for babies sleep surface.
Babies, particularly those under 12 months are vulnerable to sleep-related injury and death due to a variety of different mechanisms. This vulnerability is largely due to the infant’s anatomy at this age. They are born with large, heavy heads, short little necks with weak muscles, smaller more easily compressed airways and reduced temperature control.
Knowing this, it is very important that we don’t introduce further vulnerability to our babies by using items for sleep that are too soft or not flat, as this can increase the risk of sudden unexpected infant death.
Placing babies on unsafe surfaces for sleep encourages chin to chest positioning which directly impacts a baby’s ability to breathe normally. It also increases the risk of suffocation should the face be accidently covered, strangulation and entrapment.
“When the baby is well enough to leave the hospital and sleep at home, it is important to follow the Red Nose safe sleep recommendations. These are: always place the baby on their back to sleep, keep their face and head uncovered, use a safe cot with a firm flat mattress that is not tilted, use safe bedding, and make sure there are no additional items in the cot.”
https://rednose.org.au/article/safe-sleeping-nicu-vs-cot-sleeping
Elevating the sleeping surface for back sleeping babies ...... is not recommended.
If a baby is in an elevated cot, further hazards may be introduced into the sleeping environment. When elevated, babies are more likely to slip down the cot and become completely covered by bedding
It may cause the baby to slide down to the foot of the cot into a position that might compromise breathing. Placing a pillow or wedge under the mattress or in the cot with the aim of elevating the baby’s head is also not recommended as it increases the likelihood of baby slipping down under the bedding and the baby’s head becoming covered
https://rednose.org.au/article/sleeping-position-for-babies-with-gastro-oesophageal-reflux-gor